After the Ferrari 458 Italia debuted at the Frankfurt auto show this past September, the Italian stable has once again surprised the public with a stunning replacement to the successful F430 berlinettas. The Ferrari 458 Italia represents a genuine evolution of Maranello’s mid-rear engine V8 sports cars. As with every new Ferrari the 458 Italia is full of innovation from company’s racing experience and expertise. Employing the same techniques and methods used to develop the Scuderia’s F1 cars, Ferrari’s engineers concentrated on obtaining the maximum efficiency in fuel consumption and C02 emissions and succeeded by setting the benchmark in this segment with fuel economy of 13.3 l/100 km and 307 g/km respectively. This was possible through aerodynamic developments with the exterior design, including innovations such as the “aeroelastic winglets at the front that generate downforce and, as speed rises, deform to reduce the section of the radiator inlets and cut drag”.

The new five litre V8 engine offers a boost in power and performance from the pervious 4.3 litre engine, pushing out 560 horsepower, and sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) in under 3.4 seconds with a maximum top speed of over 325 km/h (202 mph).

There have been significant improvements in the interior with the steering wheel and instrument cluster, mainly in the ergonomics and how they relate between the driver and car. The main commands are grouped on the steering wheel, with the secondary controls located in two “satellite pods” on either side of the dash. Instrument displays are on the panel ahead of the driver. Ferrari Styling Centre has truly provided a driver-oriented cockpit. All previous steering-column mounted stalks have been eliminated. The signals and windshield wiper functions are now activated by buttons on the steering wheel. Standard equipment includes Bluetooth connectivity, satellite navigation, digital speedometer and a rear parking camera.